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Jan. 27, 1931. a T

APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINE BOATS Filed Feb. 4. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNvENToR. .Begz 7'0:mizz Filbe rt.

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WITNESSES B. FlLBERT APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINE BOATS Filed Feb. 4, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Q} Beg/(min .F'z'li ezfi \N/r/vissfs.

, Jan. 1931.

B. FILBERT XPPARATUS FOR SUBMARINE BOATS Filed Feb. 4. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTO R. .Bez fa'm zzz Fz'ibez'f.

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J n- 1931. B. FILBERT 1,790,414

, APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINE BOATS Filed Feb. 4, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 cairn stares PATENT oFFmE" BENJAMIN FILBERT, or ernar -NEW YonK APPARATUS Fen SUBMARiNEBOATS I Application filed February4, 1929." Serial No. 337,259.

This invention relates to apparatus, part of which can be used in gci'ieral to'raise sul merged objects, but more particularly to ap paratus, part of which is carried on submarine boats for locating said boats when submerged and for assisting in saving life on said boats, and part of which is carried on rescue vessels for raising said submarine.

The obj ects of my invention are to provide built-in means on the submarine by which it -inay be raised to the surface; cables attached I to said built-in means and carried by said submarine; buoys carried in said submarine" n wh ch can be released to reach thesurtace or the water with signal lights and which carrv means for supplying air andsustenance and comnnniication means to occupants, and n'leans'to raisesald cables; and also outside floats to be used in connection wit-h said cables to raise said submarine.

With the foregoing and other objects in:

It is understood that variouslcha nges may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromlthe spirit or sacrificing any OftllQ, advantages of the invention as set forth inthe appended claims.

Referring to the'drawings accompanying and forming a part of this. specification, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated. v V Figure l is a transverse'v'ertical sectional view oi a portion of a submarine showing a chamber with parts of my improved apparatus housed therein. i 1

F :2 is a vertical sectional elevation ol one of my improved buoys.

Fig. 3 is a plan ofthe door opening into the chamber shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of my improved float for raising submarines. i I

- thesubmarine. 11 and 12, called the ends of Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the float shown inFigzl. 1 J 1 liig. 6 is an end view of the float shown in Fig. a; r

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of a check valve in the end of float.

7 Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of a :check valve in the top or". float. j j I I Fig. 9 is aside elevation of a submarine as resting at the bottom 'of'the water and with floats in place forlifting same. 1 I

' FiglOis an enlarged transverse sectional, view of, a submarine showingthefloats-attached as in'Figs9p T I Fi 11 is a plan of a diagrannnatic view of v a salvaging vessel and its connections to a 'i'ioat. "i Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional'elevation of a' submerged submarine with its buoys at the surface of the water and connected to cables in said submarine.

Fig. 13 is a view of the submarine similar to that of'Fig. 12 and with vessels at the surface having floats attached't'o the 'su'bmarines cables. 5

Fig. let is a transverse sectional elevation through my improved float and showing means of attaching to cables. 1

Fig. 15 is a section on line 15 -l5 o t Fig. l-t. In the ligurcs, 1 represents the submarine ot' theconventional type. In Fig. 1 a'chalnber 2 is provided inside of the submarine' 1 shown and which is air and water tight. 3 is a buoy resting on a coiled line at to which it is attached from eyes '5 on its bottom by a V-shaped rod '6. 7 is the part of line 4 leading from rod6 tothe'top of coil-. 8 is aacoiled heavy cable enclosing the coiled linet and to which it is attached from its top coil to the bottomcoil of lined by nieans ot 9 the portion 9. Cable 8 is attached at its lowerend to a built-in hawser 81 which extends from one side .o't'su'bmarine 1 tot the other as shown in Figs. 10, 12'and 13.1 10 is an air hose coiled inside of coil 4;, oneend 11 of 95 which leads up the side of, and is attached to, buoy 3. and the opposite end 12 of which extends through the wall of chamber 2 so its valve 13 can be operated by the occupants of air hose are of metal, curved downward at their extreme ends as shown and each arranged to be attached to an air pump. Running along beside air hose 10 and attached thereto is a telephone wire 1 1. '15 is the tele phone instrument within the submarine and 16 the telephone instrument in the buoy 3 to be used by a salvage crew.

Below chamber 2 and connected thereto is a valve 17 controlled by hand wheel 18 for flooding said chamber 2 with water from outside of submarine 1 and so equalizing the pressure within and without. The door 19 hinged at 20 is then easily opened by the hand wheel of 21 operating a shaft threaded through a bearing 22, a stufiing'box 23, a swivel connection 2 1, a yoke 25, and a pin 26 sliding in a slot 27 Two of the yokes (see Fig. 3), are connected to the door 19 and spaced apart to allow buoy to pass upward between them when door 19 is open. 19 (Fig. 1) is the open position of door 19. 28 is a heavy rubber gasket to make a tight joint between door 19 and the shell of submarine 1.

The buoy 3, shown in detail in Fig. 2, is h ol' low and adapted to readily move to the surface of the water when released from the chamber 2. 29 is a storage battery in the buoy 3 to furnish current for the light bulb 30 on the top of said buoy 3. The light bulb 30 isprotected by a wire netting as shown and the light is controlled by a switch 2-32 which is connected to and operated by a piston 33 in a cylinder 34 which extends through the bottom of the buoy 3. The piston 33 is connected to the switch 32 by means of a horizontal arm 35 and a vertical link 36. When the buoy 3 is riding on the water the piston 33 is pressed up by the water to operate the switch and light the bulb 30 and the action of wave motion raising and lowering the. buoy 3 and hence its piston 33 is to operate the light switch intermittently and so operate the light intermittently. A wire 77 connected so as to be operated by the switch 212 and light a bulb 78 shown on the telephone instrument 15 in the submarine 1 is provided to form a telltale light and show when bulb 30 is lighted and if the battery 29 is still in condition to furnish light. The receiver and transmitter .79 of phone 16 in the buoy 3 is clamped down so it will stay in place except when removed for the purpose of telephoning. As shown the telephone wires 14 are used for the telltale light 78 but when receiver 79 is removed from telephone 16, connection to light bulb 78 is broken. Separate connecting wire from 77 to 78 could of course be used.

The cover 10 ot' the buoy E) is fastened by means of pivoted bolts 89 having wing nuts 37. One of said bolts 39 acts as a pivot by passing through a hole in the cover 40. while the remaining bolts 39 can be moved out of slots, as 38, to a position 39'. 41 a gasket for making a tight joint between buoy 3 and its cover 40. Gn top of the cover is placed suitable instruciions for instance the words U. b. Submari e No. in distress below. Remove cover-telephone inside. Notify Navy Department to rush help.

As part'ot this invention and a col'ivenient means oi? quickly raising a disabled submarine pre l erably already equipped with the foregoing built-in hawser 31. 1 provide a float 12 shown in detail in Figs. l to 8. Float 42 is a hollow cylinder with heads 43 dished in for strength and suitably fastened. Intermediate oi the ends of float 49 are provided two cylindrical castings as braces or posts d3 fastened vertically therein, each one having a longitudinal hole tapered at 4 1 from top and so from botoni to the center thereoi and preferably with tapered metal linings as shown. d6, 1-6 etc., are metal reinforcement patches welded on the outside of float 4:2 (apposite the ends of posts d3.

As a means of internally reinforcing float and strengthening it against the strain oi raising a submarine I provide two channels fastened together to term an I beam 17 at top 01 float and similar channels to form an I beam 618 at bottom of float. The use of these channels is so they can be more easily termed to surround the ends of the vertical braces 13, than regular 1 beams, as will be noted in Fig. Four I beams 4+9 are spaced between top and bottom I beams 17 and 1 8.

Near the center of the top of float 12 is provided an intake check valve 50 having a ball valve51andspring for filling said float with water to sink it and threaded for connecting to an air pump to force the water out and filling with air for raising. At the bottom of each end 43 of float 412 is provided a discharge check valve 53 having aball valve o-laand spring over said, ball 54; stii'li enough to hold water for sinking float but adapted to allow discharge of the water when air is forced into intake valve 50. Discharge valves 5:; are threaded at 56 to provide suitable connection meansi'or a hose from each end ol said float 42 to a salvage ship at the surface of the water to determine when all water is discharged t'rom both ends of said float 12 in :ase one end of Heat d2 is higher than the other, and also to provide a shut olf valve at the salvage ship as a means of holding any desired air pressure in the iloat 4'2 (sucri connecting hoses are not shown).

Referring to Fig. 11 which shows a dia grammatic view of the connec ion to a float 4-2 in the water and a portion of the plan of the deck 66 oi a salvage ship on which is a water pump 58, with a pump suction in the water and connected by means of a hose 68 and 69 through a connecting T (30 to the intake check valve 50 on the top of float 42 for the purpose ct filling with water said float preparatory to sinking it. 57 is an air compressor connected to the T' (SO-by means gauge in the hose lines 67 and 68 respectively.

The hose 69 is. paid out or reeled in to thefloat 42 as it sinks or rises by means of the winch (32. The, cables Sand 8 from the submarine 1 at the bottom of the water are run through the holes in thefloat 42 and connected to winches 63 and 63 to take up the slack as the submarlne rises.

The method of connecting the float 42 to the cable 8 at or near a. submerged submarine and which is novel to this invention is shown in detail in Figs. 14 and 15. A double ended wedge 64 tapering from the center and having a circular transverse section is formed by placing three identical pieces 70, 71 and 72 together and holding them by means of a keeper r1ng'(3. Said keeper ring 73 is formed ever, the three parts, 70, 71 and 72 of the wedge 64 have a movement sulficient to allow' the teeth 7 to engage and clamp the cable 8 when said wedge 64 is in the taper hole 44 of the float 42 as in Fig. 14. A weight 76 is provided for fitting over and clamping the upper tapered end of wedge 64, when its 64-onto the cable 8. i

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10 provision is made for four chambers 2 on each side of marine 1 and each float 42 using. two of the cables 8 from two adjacent chambers 2. r

The operation of my device is as follows i lVhen submarine 1 is submerged and it is desired to send the buoy 3 to the surface for help the occupants of the vessel first open the valve 17 by means of a handwheel 18 to allow chamber 2 to befllled with water and so equalize the pressure on both sides of the door 19. The door 19 then can be opened by operating the handwheel 21 and moving door 19 to a position 19 when the buoy 3 1s tree to rise to the surface of the water, carrying the line 4. Line 4 must be of sufficient length to reach the surface from all depths at which a submarine could be rescued as also must be the cable 8 which isattached to the line 4 and to the submarine by means of the built- The buoy having reached the surface of the water and its electric light bulb having been lighted by tl'iepressure in hawser 31.

of the water on the piston 33 and so moving the lighting swltch 32 a signal is flashed to any vessels which may be in Sight; If there 1 battery through the medium of wire are waves which raise and lower the buoy its light'will be flashed intermittently as before described and for the purpose of attracting attention as well as saving the battery One buoy at a time can be released as the battery in the first'buoy sent up becomes discharged and so on. The condition of battery '29 is shown by snapping on the telltale light bulb 78 which is connected with said 77 as before described. 1

The valve 13 on the air hose 10 can be kept open as only a small amount of water will enter from the time the chamber 2 is filled with water until the buoy 3 reaches the surface of-the water, orit can be kept closed and then opened by the occupants of the sub marine after said buoy 3 reaches the surface of the water. Either end of air hose 10 can be attached toan air pump for exhausting or supplying air to the submarine and the same air hose'10 can be used to supply liquidfood to the occupants of the submarine. Rescuers arriving at thebuoy 3 can telephone tofthe submarine libelow after re-. moving cover 40, and also the said cover 40 has information on-top to obtain vessels, with floats 42 for raising-saidsubmarine 1. Fig. 12' shows submarine 1 at the bottom with two buoys Bat the surface of the water. Upon the arrival of rescuing ships with floats 42 aboard and cables 1 8 raised and discon- V V n'ected fronrsaid lines 4. Cables 8 are passed lower tapered end is in the tapered hole 44 of float 42 and so securely locking the wedge After the floats 42 are overboard'from the rescue ships 66in the positionsshown in Figs.

.7 11' and 13 they are flooded with water by submarine 1, which would call for the. use 01' :iour floats 42, two on each side of the submeans of pump 58 and sunk with the wedges 64 and weights 7 6 iollowmg when, they asmeans of the air pump 57 and the water forced out, making the float-s42 buoyant. As floats 42 tend to rise their tapered'holes 44 force the parts 70, 71 and 72' of the wedges 64 together so their teeth 7 5 grip the cables 8 and raise the submarine 1 to the surface, it being understood that floats of suflicient buoyance are furnished to do the work.

It will also be understood that the floats 42 and their accessories here described can be used to raise submarines or other sub- 'merged objects by fastening cables to suitable: nieans of attachment furnished on said submarines or by cables drawn around-the outsideof said submarines. I i I Having thus described my invention what I claim as newis: V

1. In a salvaging apparatus, a buoyant'sulr mersible float'having intake and discharge i check valves, a vertical brace in said float ha holes; a wedge, double tapered from the center, and formed in sections with a longitudinal toothed hole therethrongh with a keeper ring for said sections, a lifting cable to pass through the hole in said wedge and said float, one tapered end of said wedge adapted to coact with the tapered hole in said float and a weight having a tapered hole to coact with the other tapered end of said wedge whereby'said float may be clamped to said cable.

In a salvaging apparatus, a cylindrical floatadapted to float upon the surface of the water in a horizontal position, an intake check valve on the top of said float, a discharge check valve at the bottom of each end of said float, two vertical braces intermediate of the ends of said float and each having a vertical longitudinal tapered hole therethrough, a lifting cable for each of said tapered holes, reinforcing I beam braces in said float, a wedge, having double tapered ends for each of said cables and a weighthaving a tapered hole for each of said wedges, whereby said float when submerged and tilled with air may be locked to said cables to exert a lifting force thereon.

3. In a salvaging apparatus, a buoyant submersible cylindrical float adapted to float in a horizontal position and having one top intake and two bottom discharge check ball valves to introduce and discharge air and 'ater therefrom, two vertical braces in said float intermediate of its ends and each having a longitudinal hole therethrough With a tapered portion from the top toward its approximate center of length, a lifting cable for each of said holes, a sectional tapered wedge to coact with each of said cables and its tapered hole to exert a gripping force on each of said cables when said float is subn'ierged, said discharge valves located one 2 either end of the bottom of said float, connectin g hose means from said discharge valves to the. water surface when said float is submerged, and valve means in said hose means whereby all water may be discharged from said float if not perfectly horizontal a d a desired air pressure maintained in said float.

4-. In a salvaging apparatus for submarine boats, the combination of a boat having chambers located in the sides thereof, a door for each chamber conforming approximately to the hull of said boat and adapted to be swung open laterally at the top from bottom hinges, a threaded shaft acting in line with the la oral i'novement of said doors and having a pin and slot connection for the opening thereof, valve means for flooding each chamber, a buoy in each chamber with signalling means attached thereto and to the interior of said boat, hawsers built-in to the hull of said boat for lifting same and each of which extend.

from one of said chambers to its diametri ally opposite chamber, a lifting cable m each of said chambers attached to said built-1n hawser, a line connecting said cable and buoy to permit said buoy to rise to the surface of the nter when the boat is submerged, floats with intake and discharge valve openings and connections thereto to the surface of the water when submerged and adapted to float in a horizontal position, said floats having two vertical braces intern ediate of its ends and each brace with a longitudinal tapered hole therethr-ongh and spaced the distance between the builtin hawsers of two adjacent chan'ibers, and sectional double tapered wedges whereby said floats may be clamped to said lifting cables.

in testimony whereof, I ailix my signature.

BENJAMIN l l ill) lllit'l. 

